Catatonia

Karl Barakall, Latvian, peasant — farmer for 24 years, comes from a healthy family; between the family of the patient, no one suffered from mental or nervous diseases. K.B. was always healthy and nothing abnormal was suppressed to the point of real illness. In June 1893, he once came from the field before the end of the work, complained of a headache, prayed, talked about his crimes, and did not attribute to himself any crimes that were not perfect by him, but only exaggerated the meaning of really perfect ones: rarely went to scolded, etc. He was looking for a rope and at the same time said that he needed it in order to hang himself; they began to persuade him not to think about suicide and he now promised that he would not encroach on his life; he was apparently pleased with the participation of his relatives, and when they persuaded him, he was pleased and calm, hugged them, kissed them, but he himself did not speak and responded briefly but reasonably to the persistent repeated appeals to him.